In this week’s episode of The Future of Finance, Georges Dyer sits down with Tom Ferguson of Burnt Island Ventures to discuss the critical intersections of water and finance. Watch the episode on YouTube, or stream it on any platform.

In this week’s news, the University of California CIO calls on allocators to stand up to treasury secretary, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation adds Cornell University’s Sean Olesen as managing director, and Princeton University’s president weighs the cost of the government’s attack on Columbia University.

This week’s episode of The Future of Finance features perspectives from Charlie Donovan, Senior Economic Advisor at Impax Asset Management and Visiting Professor of Finance at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. Charlie shares insights on the importance of segmenting climate investments across value chains, the role of fixed income in sustainable investing, and why companies must move beyond "paper decarbonization" to achieve real-world impact. Listen in!

We’re excited to announce Jon Lukomnik, Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and leading systems-level investing practitioner, as a keynote speaker for the 2025 IEN Virtual Spring Forum. Register to join us May 5th to 8th!

In this week’s news, the Oxford Endowment Fund takes stake in a new Dutch sustainable manager, Sussex plans to launch the UK’s F\first climate justice undergraduate degree, and AP breaks down the major EPA deregulatory moves around water, air, and climate.

This week’s episode of the Future of Finance is on mission-aligned passive equities strategies with Claire Quigley, Client Portfolio Manager, Sustainability Solutions at Ethic. She and Georges Dyer discuss the power of shareholder activism, the role of transparency in ESG investing, and how data-driven strategies shape investment decisions. Claire also sheds light on how Ethic customizes passive equity portfolios, engages in proxy voting, and navigates the challenges and opportunities in sustainable finance. Listen in, and don’t forget to subscribe!

IEN is partnering with Oberlin College for its second annual Impact Investing Symposium, April 23rd from 11 am to 2 pm. This year, the symposium will address what the AI investment boom means for emissions reduction targets and goals and how the current administration’s policies affect ESG goals and objectives of institutions, among other topics. Register here.

In this week’s news, Vanderbilt Law School launches a private climate governance lab, a University of Exeter Spin-Out sets new standard to help investors navigate the climate transition, and pension funds are rethinking their relationships with asset managers following climate cutbacks.

We’re looking forward to hosting a session next week as a part of NACUBO’s Endowment Leadership Series. Register to join Georges Dyer and three participants of the first EIB cohort next Thursday at 2 pm ET as they discuss successful implementation and communication strategies that foster a culture of transparency and collaboration.

We are excited to announce that registration is now open for our Virtual Spring Forum! The Forum will take place from May 5th to the 8th, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET each day. Sessions will cover various topics related to material environmental and social investment factors, and will vary in format - including keynotes, panel conversations, break out discussions, and facilitated networking. Register now!

In this week’s episode of The Future of Finance, Asha Mehta, CFA, Founder & CIO of Global Delta Capital, challenges the idea that political and economic headlines should dictate investment decisions. Listen in!

In this week’s news, NYC Pension Systems name Valerie Red-Horse Mohl as deputy CIO, America’s foremost DEI shareholder activist Andy Behar warns that anti-diversity groups are forcing companies to underperform, and geopolitical risk pushes investment changes at the University of Nebraska Foundation.

We’re delighted to release the 2024 Endowment Impact Benchmark Report, highlighting the successes and ratings of our 2024 public participants! Review the report to examine mini-case studies on these institutions, learn about the instrument, and take a peek into a high-level summary of the aggregate data. Access to the full dataset, peer introductions, and a personalized assessment are available for participants of the EIB - indicate your interest through this form or by replying to this email.

In this week’s Future of Finance podcast episode, Georges Dyer sits down with Rho Impact’s Seth Sheldon and Gilman Callsen to chat about the complexities of forecasting emissions reductions, including avoided emissions. Listen in!

In this week’s news, a new UK-based climate group emerges as banks retreat, a Texas judge upholds the labor agency's ESG 401(k) investing rule, and Howard University becomes the only HBCU to achieve R1 Carnegie Classification. 

Save the date! Coming out of the 2025 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit, we’re jumping right into the planning process for our 2025 Virtual Spring Forum, May 5-8, and we want your input. Please respond to our Call for Content form by March 12 to ensure we're designing programming that will be meaningful to you. You can also propose speakers, suggest a session topic, or nominate yourself as a speaker.

In this week’s news, SFSU revises a graduation requirement to incorporate climate justice, the 2025 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments is released, and Fossil Free Funds examines how university retirement plans are funding the destruction of their students’ future.

We were so grateful to be in community with the Network for the 2025 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit earlier this week! Thank you everyone who joined us, and please keep an eye out for an event recap!

In the latest episode of The Future of Finance podcast, Georges Dyer sits down with John Simon, Founding & Managing Partner of Total Impact Capital, to explore the evolving landscape of impact investing and the strategies needed to align financial success with social and environmental responsibility. Listen in!

The recording of last week’s Endowment Impact Benchmark info session, with remarks from The Russell Family Foundation and Alti Tidemann Global, is available. We encourage you to view it to learn about TRFF’s transparency and sustainability reporting, and contact Georges Dyer at [email protected] to learn more about the assessment.

In this week’s news, college presidents weigh responses to Trump’s upheavals, Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber defends its endowment, DEI and ‘institutional restraint’ in his 2025 annual letter, and a solution to the endowment tax dilemma is proposed in the Chronicle: reform the university.

The Future of Finance Podcast was launched this week! Listen in as host Georges Dyer sits down with The Sierra Club Foundation's Pedro Henriques Da Silva to discuss all things sustainable investing and the role of SCF in shifting capital toward a more regenerative economy. Hear the Future of Finance wherever you get your podcasts, leave us a rating, and subscribe!

The 2025 Endowment Impact Benchmark cohort is actively recruiting. If you are interested in learning more about participation or would like to learn about a past participant’s experience, please complete our interest form or respond to this email directly. 

In this week’s news, the Russell Family Foundation shares some of the philanthropic tools available to help drive transparent climate action, including the Endowment Impact Benchmark, JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon stands firm amid conservative pressure to dismantle DEI initiatives, and Bloomberg pledges to cover U.S. Paris Agreement obligations after Trump exits deal.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the IEN Virtual Spring Forum is open! The Spring, Forum, May 5-8, will focus on facilitating peer connections & critical discussions focused on mission aligned, sustainable investing among endowments. Complete the RFP to help us guide the content presented and better serve the needs of the Network.

In this week’s news, Oregon commits to its net zero pledge despite an anti-ESG push, family offices take a ‘systems turn’ in investing, and leaders at Davos Economic Forum vow to ‘stay the course’ on climate action.

There is still time to register for the 2025 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit, and join 350+ of your peers in Washington D.C. February 2 - 4 for networking and collaboration. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about endowment growth and sustainability, mission-aligned investing, and climate action roadmapping. Register today!

In this week’s news, UCSD Foundation repeats as best-performing university endowment in fiscal 2024, California's deadly fires pit climate crisis against an insurance crisis, and Clark University announces its new School of Climate, Environment, and Society. 

The Oakland-based foundation is recognized for its commitment to sustainable and impact investing following a third-party verification process.

The Russell Family Foundation and AlTi Tiedemann Global will join IEN for its Endowment Impact Benchmark info session on January 30th to share their experiences as a Platinum-related participant in 2024. Register to hear their insights and learn more about the Benchmark, and fill out our interest form to receive more information on the assessment. 

As a reminder, there is less than one month to register for the 2025 Summit in Washington D.C., February 2-4, and room rates at the Mayflower Hotel are only guaranteed until January 10th. Register and make your reservation now!

In this week’s news, a professor examines the links between climate justice and the university in a new book, the UMass endowment adopts two sustainable funds for donors, and Commonfund’s investments with diverse managers continue to grow.

The 2025 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit is one month away! Register now to secure your ticket in Washington, D.C. February 2 - 4, with 400 of your peers across the higher education and investment sectors. Details on the venue, hotel accommodations, and logistics can be found on the Summit website.

In this week’s news, the Sorenson Global Impact Leaders 2024 Annual Survey Report is released, York's endowment fund outperforms sustainability benchmarks, and the Maryland pension fund plans to add a climate advisory panel. 

January 30, 2024 | 2 pm ET

This virtual information session will provide insights into the assessment, results, and benefits of the Endowment Impact Benchmark (EIB) -- an assessment and ratings framework that enables endowments and foundations to earn recognition for their commitment to sustainable and impact investing.

For the last two years, IEN has piloted the EIB with 15 endowments and foundations of varying AUMs. The 2024 Pilot report is forthcoming, and will feature additional information on the process for various types of foundations including family and private foundations. 

Participants will hear from a 2024 Platinum-rated participant, The Russell Family Foundation (TRFF), and its advisor AlTi Global on the assessment process, key takeaways, and its benefits, as well as the ways the assessment aligns with TRFF's current climate and justice priorities. 

Speakers

Participants will also hear high-level information on the outcomes from the two pilot stages and explore the four components of the assessment: Strategy, Management, Governance and Transparency.

IEN is actively recruiting participants for the 2025 EIB cohort. Endowments and foundations interested in participating should fill out our interest form or reach out to Georges Dyer at [email protected].

Recording

IEN Slides

The Russell Family Foundation + AlTi Global Slides

The latest episode of the Beyond Carbon podcast is out! Listen in as Kathleen Simpson of The Russell Family Foundation and Brad Harrison of AlTi Tiedemann Global share the details of the Foundation’s impact strategy. Simpson and Harrison also detail the intersections of impact with mission-driven investing and shareholder engagement, in an episode recorded just days after the U.S. election. Listen now!

Don’t forget to register for the 2025 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. before early bird registration closes on December 18th! Reserve your spot with over 400 of your peers for in-depth conversations on climate action, campus and endowment sustainability, and building consensus across the institution.

In this week’s news, The SK2 Fund receives a gold rating through IEN’s Endowment Impact Benchmark, Wespath launches fossil fuel-free funds for institutional investors, and the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance calls for mandated Scope 3 emissions disclosures.

Please take a few moments to fill out our end-of-year membership survey to share your insights on the Network and help guide the direction of our work in 2025. We are so grateful for your insights and your continued support of the Intentional Endowments Network. 

Don’t forget to register for our last Climate Solutions Investing Series call with GSSG Solar on December 12th! The GSSG team will discuss the unique challenges faced by island economies as they seek decarbonization efforts and the opportunities this unveils.

In this week’s news, Warren Wilson College receives a $10 million gift, the largest in its history, Biden pushes out over $100 billion in clean energy grants as his term winds down, and Ortec Finance warns of the impact of climate change on pension fund returns worldwide.

Ahead of Giving Tuesday, we’re asking the Network to consider making an end-of-year donation to the Anthony Cortese Fellowship Fund to support the next generation of sustainable investors.

IEN will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27th; we will be back in office on Monday, December 1. 

In this week’s news, nations at COP29 agree to a $300 billion per year climate funding deal, Builders Vision makes a $70 million investment to protect and bolster Bahamian environmental and economic prosperity, and a KPMG study reveals that more than 40% of the largest global companies are integrating ESG performance in executive pay.

The Colorado-based foundation achieved Gold rating through sustainable and impact investing assessment framework, developed by the Intentional Endowments Network.

We are so grateful to everyone who celebrated and reflected with us last Thursday at our 10th Anniversary Gala! Please keep an eye out for an event summary and consider making a donation to the Anthony Cortese Fellowship Fund in honor of our co-founder. 

We also remind the Network to submit climate justice case studies to support the research papers being produced by our Climate Justice Taskforce. The submission form has further details; individuals interested in learning more about the Taskforce can contact Paris Prince and Aicha Ly.

This week’s edition of the Round-Up features a special section dedicated to COP29 coverage. The next edition of the weekly news round-up will be Wednesday, November 27th, ahead of Thanksgiving. 

In this week’s news, CalPERS Reaches $53B in climate solutions investments, Harvard expands its green revolving fund to support campus decarbonization, and HSBC reportedly shelves plans for trading, financing carbon credits.

We’re holding our 10th Anniversary Gala this evening in Boston at the Museum of Science. Thank you to everyone who joined us tonight, and all who supported the last decade of sustainability and growth in the Network.

We encourage you to contribute to the future of IEN and the professionals entering the sustainability space by donating to the Anthony Cortese Fellowship Fund.

This week’s round-up is abbreviated; we will resume the regular round-up next week.